A bill introduced last week in the House of Representatives and supported by the American Chiropractic Association (ACA) would expand access to chiropractic services to military retirees, dependents and survivors through the Department of Defense TRICARE health program. The legislation (H.R. 4973), introduced by Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) and Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-Iowa), would not only enable those who currently receive chiropractic care to continue their treatment but would also establish, in the wake of the nationwide opioid crisis, an important non-drug option for pain management in the program. "Chiropractors have become valued members of the military health care team. Their non-drug, non-addictive and noninvasive approach to pain management has proven effective in helping members of the military to recover from injuries, manage chronic pain and enhance their readiness for duty," said ACA President David Herd, DC. "This bill would ensure that military retirees and military family members have access to the same quality care." Chiropractic services were first made available to active-duty military personnel following the enactment in 2000 of legislation to create a permanent chiropractic benefit within the Department of Defense health care system. As part of the pilot program before full implementation, retirees, dependents and survivors were also granted access to chiropractic services on a space-available basis. At the time, it was found that the benefit was valued within the TRICARE community. Today, chiropractic is available only to active-duty service members at more than 60 military treatment facilities in the United States, as well as bases in Germany and Japan. Chiropractors focus on disorders of the musculoskeletal system, most often treating complaints such as back pain, neck pain, pain in the joints of the arms or legs and headaches. Widely known for their expertise in spinal manipulation, chiropractors are also trained to recommend therapeutic and rehabilitative exercises, and to provide dietary and lifestyle counseling.

Looking to increase athletic performance and possibly your vertical jump height? Give an adjustment a try! A small blinded trial was conducted recently in young female athletes who were suffering from ankle joint dysfunction to see if an adjustment to the joint could affect their vertical jump height. The ankle joint, more technically referred to as the talocrural joint, is the joint formed from the ends of the lower leg bones (tibia and fibula) and the top bone of the ankle, the talus. Half of the female athletes with ankle joint dysfunction received an adjustment to their ankle joint once a week for three weeks while the other half received a sham treatment once a week for three weeks. On average, those receiving the adjustment to their ankle joint saw an average 0.47 cm increase in their vertical jump as compared with the sham group. It’s important to recognize that adjustments provided by doctors of chiropractic can be delivered to and benefit more than just the joints of the spine. If you or someone you know is suffering from pain or dysfunction, or is simply looking to enhance their physical performance and overall health, give your local chiropractor a call today!

In a study published in the January 2013 issue of Spine, researchers in Norway have established a positive link between obesity and chronic lower back pain. The study was backed by census data of nearly twenty thousand men and women, aged 30-69 years and collected over a decade. Participants were divided into two groups; people without chronic back pain and those already experiencing chronic back pain. For the purposes of the study, 'chronic back pain' was defined as pain persisting for at least three months continuously over a year. The results, adjusted for age, physical activity levels, and other health factors indicated that the subjects who were 30 or more pounds overweight were 28 percent more likely to experience chronic lower back pain. The researchers pointed out that while the obesity may lead to the lower back pain, it is also possible that the lower back pain may lead to an increase in the subjects' obesity, due to decreased physical activity.